Welcome to this new article where I take you for a little visit of the Château de Chambord! A true architectural gem, this imposing castle is rich in history, culture and architecture that you absolutely must discover. During our stay in this region, we had the chance to visit some of the most beautiful Châteaux of the Loire and that of Chambord is one of the most impressive!
In this article, you can find practical advice for organizing your next visit to the Château de Chambord, as well as a review of our own visit, the things to do and see on this wonderful site!
Summary:
- Presentation of the Château de Chambord
- Practical advice for visiting the Château de Chambord
- Our visit to the Château de Chambord
- My opinion on this visit
Book your entry for the visit of the Château de Chambord and avoid the queues on site! Book your entry
Presentation of the Château de Chambord
The Château de Chambord was commissioned in 1519 by François 1er. The latter, passionate about hunting, could thus take advantage of this immense forest of more than 2500 ha to exercise his passion. It was in the middle of the 5440th century that the estate reached its current size with nearly 32 ha of forest. A surrounding wall surrounds the whole of this area for about XNUMX km.
Work on the Château only ended during the reign of Louis XIV. It was also at this time that the surroundings were developed.
Belonging to the State since 1930, it was registered on the list of historical monuments in 1840, then on the list of UNESCO World Heritage in 1981.
Perfectly renovated to present a typical Renaissance castle to the public, a visit to the Château de Chambord will surprise you with its architecture, and more particularly with its double spiral staircase inspired by the work of Leonardo da Vinci.
The sculpted facade, the central keep and the roof terraces are quite remarkable elements of the Château de Chambord. I'll give you more details about our tour in the rest of this article.
Practical advice for visiting the Château de Chambord
After this short presentation of this magnificent Château de Chambord, here are some practical questions that you are likely to ask yourself when organizing your stay in the region.
- When to visit the Château de Chambord?
- Opening hours of the Château de Chambord
- How much is the entry ?
- Take a guided tour of the Château de Chambord
- How to book your entry for the Château de Chambord?
- How long does the visit to the Château de Chambord take?
- Where to park to visit the Château de Chambord?
- Where to stay to visit the Château de Chambord?
- Where is the Château de Chambord located?
- Where to eat around the Château de Chambord?
- What other Loire castles to visit around Chambord?
- Activities to do at the Château de Chambord
When to visit the Château de Chambord?
Like all the Châteaux de la Loire, a large part of the visit takes place inside the building. For this part, you are therefore not dependent on the weather. On the other hand, another part of the visit and certain on-site activities take place outside, in the grounds of the Château. It is therefore preferable to plan your visit on sunny days, that is to say between Easter and All Saints' Day.
Opening hours of the Château de Chambord
The Château de Chambord is open all year except January 1, November 30 and December 25. As for the park, it is freely accessible throughout the year.
The access times to the Château will be:
- From the beginning of January to the end of March: open from 9 a.m. to 17 p.m.;
- Late March to late October: open 9 a.m. to 18 p.m.;
- From the end of October to the end of December: open from 9 a.m. to 17 p.m.;
- December 24 and 31: exceptional closing of the Château at 16 p.m.;
- The formal gardens close 30 minutes before the Château.
How much is the entry ?
First of all, entry is free for children under 18! Then, for those over 18, admission is €14,50. At this price, you have access to the Castle but also to the gardens.
Take a guided tour of the Château de Chambord
The Château de Chambord offers guided tours every day. It will take 6€ more per adult for a guided tour; and €4 for children from 5 to 17 years old. For more information, visit the official website of the Château de Chambord.
You can also find guided tours offered by independent organizations, such as this excursion including the guided tour of Chambord but also of Chenonceau.
Otherwise, the Castle also offers you the possibility of opting for an original visit thanks to the HistoPad. This is an immersive visit in 3D or virtual reality depending on the rooms, using a tablet. You will also have a map of the Château and a visit guide for all the rooms in the building as well as for the French Garden.
For the youngest, there is a fun treasure hunt to discover the Château in an interactive way.
For this original experience, you will have to add €6,50 in addition to the entrance ticket.
How to book your entry for the Château de Chambord?
The easiest way to book your ticket is to opt for a skip-the-line ticket to buy on the internet. The latter allows you to enter the Château directly and avoid the queues at the entrance.
Book your skip-the-line ticket for the Château de Chambord directlyIf you want to visit the places with the HistoPad, you will have to go to the reception to retrieve them and set this option.
How long does the visit to the Château de Chambord take?
The visit to the Château itself can last around 1 hour, or even longer depending on the time you spend in each of the rooms. For information, the visit with the HistoPad and the guided tours last about 1h30.
If you also wish to visit the exteriors of the Château, you can add between 30 minutes and more than 1 hour. The park is vast and there are many things to see.
But you can also plan some activities on site (tell us a little later in this article), so in this case, you will have to add the duration of the activity.
To conclude on this question, plan a good half-day at least to properly visit the Château de Chambord and its exteriors (weather permitting of course).
Where to park to visit the Château de Chambord?
The Château provides visitors with various car parks… for a fee! The sum collected allows to maintain the vast park of the Castle but also the whole site.
Depending on the type of vehicle, there are different car parks:
- Parking P1: reserved for buses and minibuses. Price: between €11 and €50 per day;
- Parking P2: reserved for light vehicles, located approximately 750 meters from the Château. Price: €4 per day;
- Parking P2: reserved for motorhomes and vehicles over 2,10 meters high. Price: €11 per day.
Where to stay to visit the Château de Chambord?
You may want to stay near the Château in order to fully enjoy your visit to the place but also its huge park around it. For this, here are 3 addresses to stay near the Château de Chambord.
Relais de Chambord
Let's start with this magnificent top-of-the-range hotel located within the grounds of the park and just opposite the Château de Chambord. Enjoy a stay of perfect standing: comfortable room, exceptional location, professional staff, spa, breakfast on the terrace,… This really is the ideal hotel for visiting the Château de Chambord. Upscale hotel Check rates
Salamander cottage
Here is a second accommodation located within the walls of Chambord. This cottage can accommodate up to 8 people. With neat and modern decoration, comfortable rooms, you can fully enjoy your stay in Chambord whether with family or friends. Cottage for 8 people See the prices
The House next
Let's end this suggestion of accommodation with a small hotel more accessible than the first, located a few kilometers from the Château de Chambord. This beautiful address offers you very comfortable rooms, the staff is warm and welcoming and the breakfast is delicious. The value for money is ideal for a stay in the region. Hotel See rates
Where is the Château de Chambord located?
To visit the Château de Chambord, head to the department of Loir-et-Cher, between Tours and Orléans. Very easily accessible by car and a little less by public transport (bus, train, etc.), it will take a little over 2 hours by road from Paris.
Where to eat around the Château de Chambord?
Among the hotels presented just before, the Relais de Chambord and the hotel la Maison d'à Côté both have gourmet restaurants.
On site, you will also find other dining options, ranging from fast food (sandwiches, ice cream, etc.) to the traditional French brasserie, via the charming café inside the Château itself.
As you will have understood, the choice to eat on site is quite wide.
What other Loire castles to visit around Chambord?
Chambord is part of the Châteaux de la Loire and is located near some of the most beautiful buildings in the region. I am thinking in particular of the Château de Blois or the Châteaux of Chaumont and Cheverny.
If you want to take advantage of your stay in the region to discover even more, you can move away a little and head towards the Châteaux of Chenonceau, Villandry and Amboise and even visit Clos Lucé, the famous residence of Leonardo da Vinci. Vinci where some of his inventions have been reconstructed in the grounds of the Château.
Activities to do at the Château de Chambord
The visit of the Château de Chambord, its park and its gardens is very interesting. But be aware that there are also many activities offered by the estate, to be done on site.
Here are the main activities that will appeal to both children and adults:
- Attend the sound and light show on the Château: every evening from sunset until 1am;
- Visit the reserve with a nature guide: between 3 and 6 departures per day depending on the season, circuit of approximately 1h30. Price: €18 per adult and €12 for children aged 5 to 17;
- Rent a small boat: discover Chambord from your electric boat or from a boat. Activity available from early April to early November, from 10 a.m. to 19 p.m. Price: from €16 to €30 depending on the duration of the excursion and the number of passengers;
- Rent an electric cart: Can accommodate up to 4 people, it is ideal for exploring the surroundings of the Château for 45 minutes. Price: €28;
- Rent a bike or a rosalie: browse the 15 km of cycle paths and discover the Château de Chambord estate at your own pace and in a privileged way. Walks between 1h and 4h. Price: from €7 for a bike, to €20 for a rosalie for 4 people;
- Opt for a horse or carriage ride: these walks take you to discover the National Reserve of Chambord, closed to the public. You will have the privilege of being able to observe the local fauna in its natural environment and in perfect freedom. Price: from €90;
- Attend the famous deer slab in autumn: alone or accompanied, it is the opportunity to live a unique moment in the heart of nature. Price for the accompanied outing: from €35;
- Fishing in Chambord: indeed, it is possible to reserve a fishing post in the heart of the estate. Price: from €60 per day;
- Introduce your children to nature activities: it is essential to educate children from an early age to preserve the environment. The Domaine de Chambord organizes workshops for the youngest accompanied by their parents, to explore this rich nature, its fauna and flora. Price: €6 per child and €10 per adult;
- Attend an animal show: the show offered here combines horses and birds of prey, to offer a return to the past more real than nature. Price: €15,50 per adult and €12 for children aged 5 to 17.
Our visit to the Château de Chambord
Now that you have all the information you need to organize your future visit to the Château de Chambord, let's see how the visit itself unfolds: the different stages, the things to see and not to miss in the Château, but also the exteriors, …
Our arrival at the Château de Chambord
First, let's talk about arriving at this magnificent estate. It is very likely that you park in the Château car park at the entrance (paying, of course, but very practical!). You will then have to walk a bit and pass by places such as the shop, the restaurant terraces, etc. If you are curious, you can also take a detour to the very luxurious Relais de Chambord hotel. Its terrace has a direct view of the Château de Chambord, as do some rooms! The setting is truly exceptional.
Then take the direction of the entrance to the castle, surrounded by its magnificent gardens and its huge park.
Beginning of the visit of the Château de Chambord
Once you step inside the castle grounds, the architecture is quite stunning and impressive. Take the time to admire the exterior and the courtyard. Moreover, inside this courtyard is a very nice little cafe.
But the most impressive is in the entrance hall on the ground floor: it is the double spiral staircase. A unique and ingenious architecture inspired by the work of Leonardo da Vinci! The principle of this staircase is that there are actually two staircases that wind around each other, with the consequence that you will never meet anyone who has taken the other staircase. A rather extraordinary and avant-garde monument for its time. In its design, this staircase makes it possible to serve a greater number of rooms on each floor of the Château.
The rest of your visit to the ground floor of the Château de Chambord revolves around different rooms retracing the life of the Château over the centuries and visits by great names in history.
It is at this level that you can access the French gardens, located opposite the entrance.
Visit the floors of the Château de Chambord
Once you have visited the ground floor, I invite you to go upstairs using the famous double-revolution staircase. On the first floor, you will find different rooms with period furniture and atmosphere. Among the must-see rooms, there is the Logis de François Ier, the Oratory or the magnificent Parade Apartment. You will also find other rooms such as the Queen's bedroom or a museum dedicated to the Count of Chambord.
Did you know?
In 2019, the Château de Chambord wanted to restore a period atmosphere to the royal wing. This work was entrusted to Jacques Garcia, a famous decorator. Thanks to the various fittings and materials used, the atmosphere of the time of François I is perfectly well transcribed!
Then go to the second floor to admire the splendid vaulted rooms, sculpted with the emblems of François I. Then go to the terraces and enjoy the spectacle that awaits you: breathtaking view of the surroundings and the French gardens; but also on the architecture of the roof, the various towers and especially on the magnificent lantern tower and its impressive royal crown on top.
Visit the exteriors of the Château de Chambord
Once inside the castle has been visited, you can go outside to discover the French gardens. These magnificent parterres maintained to perfection almost disappeared. Indeed, during the course of the XNUMXth century, maintenance left something to be desired, and little by little the beautiful flowerbeds gave way to large expanses of lawn. It was at the beginning of the XNUMXst century that the Domaine de Chambord decided otherwise for these gardens: it was then that important work began to find documents and testimonies of period gardens in order to be able to restore them to their former glory. yesteryear. And given the result, the challenge has largely been met!
In the former stables, you can find the vegetable gardens created in 2019. Agriculture is organic and ecological. You can also visit this vegetable garden and stock up on fruits and vegetables, seasonal of course!
To finish on the exteriors to see during your visit to the Château de Chambord, you can enjoy the canal surrounded by an exceptional and rich environment. Whether you take advantage of this walk along the canal or venture on the many kilometers of paths, the discovery of the estate has some great surprises in store for you, both ecological and panoramic, with breathtaking views of the castle!
My opinion on this visit
Just like for the Château de Chenonceau, this visit to the Château de Chambord enchanted us! This place is truly breathtaking, both for its imposing, rich and perfectly decorated architecture, and for its gardens and park. The surroundings of the Château are laid out so that your visit extends from your arrival until your departure from the estate. The possibility of spending a night on site offers incredible and unique sunset landscapes.
I also appreciate the various activities offered to be able to take full advantage of the Estate, whether it is the various means of transport making access easier for some people, or even the more fun activities for children such as nature activities and even electric boat trip.
The Domaine de Chambord exploits this historical complex in a complete and playful way and provides us with all the tools necessary to better understand and discover it.
So certainly, this visit can be a little less interesting inside than Chenonceau for example, but it is just as interesting for everything else.
